A festival, the first of its kind in New Zealand, will be taking place later in Tauranga this month.

The Synergy Technologies Food For Thought festival, being held at Our Place on Saturday March 23, is a celebration of rescued food and the community.

Good Neighbour has joined forces with Te Aranui Trust to raise funds and celebrate what they do with a rescued food festival.

There will be seven local chefs from restaurants from around the Bay cooking in a corporate challenge.

The chefs will be teamed up with team members from Synergy Technologies, Cameron Road Pak ‘n' Save, Brookfield New World and Countdown and teams from Te Aranui and Good Neighbour staff and volunteers.

A class of hospitably students from Toi Ohomai will be sous chefs to the chefs as part of their assessment requirements.

Food Co-ordinator for Good Neighbour, Jackie Paine says all the chefs will be using rescued food on the day.

The total team met on Monday night to create their menus and then will have to be adaptable depending on what is rescued in the last week.

'It will be their take on rescued food otherwise going to waste.

'As well as the corporate challenge, there will be sustainable kids workshops where kids can learn about worm farming, make face masks and bliss balls, all out of rescued ingredients.

'The whole focus on the event is to make everything sustainable. There will be no waste, even the plates and utensils will be compostable.”

Jackie says they are envisioning about 2500 people through the festival on the day.

'All food will be $5 and the competition will be fierce to see who sells the most and takes away the winner's trophy!”

There will be Kids SYD workshops, Zespri Smoothie Bikes, Soaps, Chutneys, Jams, Face painting and the team from Burger Burger will also be selling $5 burgers and Raffles and various prizes.

Entry into the event is a gold coin donation.